Psychosocial adjustment of children treated for anorectal anomalies

The psychosocial adjustment of 160 children with anorectal malformations was assessed at 6 to 17 years of age in relation to levels of continence (Kelly score). Five measures of emotional and behavioural adjustment were used to assess a number of domains of child/adolescent functioning and to include measures from multiple perspectives. The psychiatric assessment of the child identified a disorder in 29% of the group overall. Based on parental assessments, behavioural maladjustment was shown in 27% of the children, and on the basis of a self-report questionnaire 24% of the children were depressed. Behavioural adjustment as rated by teachers was similar to the norms. The level of continence achieved (total Kelly score) did not appear to influence psychological adjustment, with the exception of the incontinent young girls (6 to 11 years) who were shown to be less well adjusted than the continent young girls. Differences between children showing positive versus negative adjustment were dependent on the perspective of the respondent and were also related to the child's age and gender, age of achieving continence, frequency of accidents, and parental factors.